Spinning top



1,52 22% J. F. MMPHERSON SPINNING TOP Filed May 22, 1923 ENVENTDR Patented Feb. 24, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICES.

JOHN F. MACPHERSON, OF BUTLER, PENNSYLVANIA.

To all whom it 772 concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN F. MAoPHEn SON, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Butler, in the county of Butler and- State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Spinning Tops; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates to toy spinning tops, and its object is to provide a novel and attractive device consisting of a top which is spun by means of a cord in the usual manner and which, in addition. is provided with a wheeled carriage driven by the motion of the spinning top, which causes the top to travel on a floor, table or other support in a path which may be either straight or curved as the user may desire.

In the accompanying drawing. Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a device constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the body portion of the top and its driving gear; Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 83 Fig. 1; and Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical section taken at right angles to the section of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral 2 indicates the body portion of a top which may be of usual conical shape and may be either turned from a. block of wood or pressed from sheet material, as may be desired. An opening is formed lengthwise through the axis of the top to receive a rod 7 3, the upper end of which is rotatably connected to a head 4 of suitable shape to be conveniently held in the hand. The head 4 or the body of the top may also be provided with wings 5 of any desired number, which set up a humming noise when the top is spun. The top is supported on a wheeled carriage which may consist, as shown. of a horizontal bar 6, a front wheel 7, an adjustable rear or trailer wheel 8, and a driving pinion 9. The front wheel 7 and the pinion 9 are secured to opposite ends of a shaft 10 which extends through a bearing 11 carried by the horizontal bar 6. This bar also carries a socket 12 for rotatably receiving the lower end of the vertical rod 3.

The horizontal bar 6 of the carriage is curved into U-shape at its forward end to form an upper supporting arm 13. A circular bearing 14 is formed in or carried by the arm 13, and rotatably receives a flange I SPINNING TOP. i

1 Application filed May 22, 1923. Serial No. 640,709.

15 carried by a crown gear wheel 16 that is secured rigidly to the lower and smaller end portion 1? of the body 2. The teeth of the crown gear 16 mesh with the teeth of the pinion 9.

The rear wheel 8 of the carriage is mounted in a fork 18 which is adjustab-ly secured to the bar 6 in any suitable way which permits the fork 18 and the wheel 8 to be adjusted angularly with respect to the bar 6. As shown in Fig. 1, the front portion of the fork 8 is bifurcated to receive the reduced rear end 19 of the bar 6, and a screw 2-0, having a thumb-nut 21, is employed to fix the adjusted position of these parts. Thus, for example, the fork 18 may be fixed in the position shown in full lines, Fig. 3, in which case the top will travel directly forward; or the fork 18 may be adjusted to the dotted-line position of Fig. 3, in which case the top will move in a curved path. The degree of curvature of such path, and also its direction, may be varied at will by changing the angular position of the fork 18 with respect to the bar 6.

In use, a cord 22 is wound around the top in the usual manner, the head 4 is grasped by the user with one hand, and the cord is pulled with the other hand. The rotation of the top acts through the crown gear 16 and the pinion 9 to rotate the wheel 7. The top may be held by the head. 4 until it is desired to set the top on a floor or table. hen the top is thus set down it will advance either in a straight line or in a path curved to the right or left, according to the adjustment of the trailer wheel 8.

Only two wheels are required, since the top is held upright by its gyroscopic. rotary motion. if desired, however, an additional wheel similar to the wheel 7 may be added to the other end of the shaft 10 in order that the top may be conveniently set upright when it is not spinning.

It will be understood that the details of construction herein shown and described may be varied in many respects without departing from my invention, the scope of which is indicated in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A toy comprising a spinning top having vertically spaced bearing portions adjacent to its lower end, a carriage, a bearing on said carriage for the lower one of said portions, a yoke on said carriage having one of its legs disposed above said bearing and 2. A toy comprising a spinning top haV-.,

ing vertically spaced bearing portions adjacent to its lower end, a carriage, a bearing on said carriage for the lower one of said port-ions, a yoke on said carriage having 1 one of its legs disposed above said bearing and provided with a bearing for the other one of said bearing portions, a wheel for supporting said carriage, and a driving connection between said top and said wheel, comprising a crown gear secured to the top between said bearings and a pinion con nected to said wheel. 7 In testimony whereof I the said Jjor-nr F. MAcPHnRsoN have hereunto set my hand. JOHN F. MACPHERSON. 

